Wednesday, April 26, 2017

CGCC Student Takes Aim and Wins National Archery Championship

Twenty-two-year-old marketing major Nathan Yamaguchi represented Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) with precision and pride at the 2017 US Indoor National Championships placing first in the Collegiate Sr. Male Recurve division.  Nathan was one of about 140 collegiate archers competing on March 4-5 and he pulled from a quiver full of experience to come out on top again. 

Nathan was eight-years-old when he first picked up a bow and arrow and quickly showed prominence on a national stage.  “I won my first National title when I was 13, and then won my second at 14,” he recounted.  “I have been a member of multiple national teams and a few Youth World Championship teams. Most recently, I won a silver medal at the Jr. World Field Championships in 2014.”  The tournament win this March is Nathan’s first National Champion title since the age of 14 and he is thrilled to have done it at CGCC.

When asked why he is so passionate about this more obscure sport, Nathan shared that “archery is great because I can control how I perform, and cannot blame anyone else for it. I am responsible for my own performance and no one else’s.” 

If baseball is a game of inches, archery is a game of millimeters. Archers shoot at a 40-cm target, which is divided into 10 scoring rings at 18 m (about 60ft). At the competition, they shoot a total of 120 arrows over the course of two days with each arrow being scored out of a possible of 10 points.

Nathan recently switched to the Collegiate Sr. Male Recurve division from the Sr. Male Recurve division once he started at CGCC. This division is for those individuals who are 20 and older and attending college full time.  “My focus has been heightened in this division since I am also in school,” explained Nathan. “With less time for everything, every minute counts more.  As a result, my performance has sharpened and that is partially what I credit for this win

Tips to help you ace finals!

We know finals week can be stressful. Don’t worry, we are here to help! Here are some helpful tips to ace your finals:

1. Ask for help.
The CGCC Learning Center offers tutoring services on a drop-in basis for select courses. This is a great way to get primed for your toughest exams. Check out locations, hours and more information here.
2. Create your own study guide.
While many teachers provide a study guide, creating your own can help you understand the material better. Outlining the important information you need to learn can be very helpful.
3. Ask questions.
Your teachers are there to help! Ask them questions regarding the material and the exam so that you’re prepared when exam time arrives.
4. Attend the review session.
Review sessions offer vital information on exam format, what will be on the exam and key concepts you should be focusing your studies on.
5. Take breaks.
You won’t be able to memorize or comprehend all the material at once. Balance is key – ensure that you reward learning with break times to recharge and relax.

Remember to get a good night's rest the night before your exams and eat a healthy breakfast the morning of. Breakfast fuels the body! All the best on your finals.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

CGCC Faculty Member & Local Author Hosts Live Reading Event

Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s (CGCC) Creative Writing Department proudly presents their very own David Muñoz in a unique storytelling event featuring his newest book "Insanities, Soundness, and Reality: A collection of short stories told perhaps by the same person” on Tuesday, April 25. During the event, Muñoz, a Philosophy & Religious Studies faculty member at CGCC, will read highlights from his book and discuss inspirations for his stories and characters.
“Insanities, Soundness, and Reality” is a collection of contemporary short stories spanning several years of Muñoz’s writing into lessons and humor about identity, sexuality and the quest for belonging. It is a manuscript about an alcoholic Irishman, a dying man, a woman with postpartum depression, and all of it, with a signature of authenticity, that makes the reader think very carefully about the subtitle of the book: A collection of short stories told perhaps by the same person.

Following the reading, books will be available for sale for $10. The event will be held inside the Cholla Hall Room 110 on the Pecos Campus from 2:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. We hope you can join us at this unique event!